Healthcare

President Joe Biden told Americans last month that, “as a simple rule,” they should plan to get a COVID-19 vaccine booster shot eight months after their last dose, starting Sept. 20.

One of the questions that came up after the Biden administration’s Aug. 18 announcement on COVID-19 booster shots is whether it’s ethical for vaccinated people in the United States to get a booster when there are still so many people around the world waiting for their first dose of vaccine. And while we’re pondering ethics, is there a selfish argument for the U.S. to lead efforts to vaccinate people around the world? What about vaccine mandates? And when will we be able to vaccinate kids?

Dr. Julie Swann, A. Doug Allison Distinguished Professor and Department Head at NC State University debunks the claim that face masks can't block viruses such as COVID-19.

Dr. Julie Swann, A. Doug Allison Distinguished Professor and Department Head at NC State University debunks the claim that face masks can’t block viruses such as COVID-19.

Soon, all Americans will be eligible to get a COVID-19 booster shot. One of our listeners is wondering whether getting her booster means taking one from somebody in a developing country. We’ll explain why the vaccine supply chain makes that unlikely. Plus, we’ll check in on Kai’s January prediction about the 10-year Treasury note and answer a couple of questions about recycling and meal kits.

The planned Covid-19 booster rollout threatens to worsen existing inequities facing minorities and lower-income communities, paving the way for Americans with the wherewithal to navigate their way to the front of the immunization line, health experts say.

The COVID-19 virus has created a public health lottery that everyone is playing, whether they want to or not. The winners in this lottery are those who get infected, so it is a lottery that you do not want to win. 

The Marin County, Calif., elementary school had been conscientious about following covid-19 protocols. Masks were required indoors, desks were spaced six feet apart, and the students kept socially distant. But the delta variant found an opening anyway.

ORLANDO, Fla. — Booster shots. We already receive them for things like tetanus and measles, and COVID-19 is about to be added to that list.

Vaccine stocks Pfizer (PFE) and Moderna (MRNA) think they can get a handle on the coronavirus' delta variant. The two, along with other vaccine makers, have ambitious booster shot plans. But regardless of the outcome, experts say the Covid donnybrook is far from over.